


Destiny Bond

by hallowed-vessels (hasbeenhotel)



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Game)
Genre: for/inspired by ginger-goats-galore on tumblr, grimmchild angst, here comes the angst train choo choo, nkg will happily die for his vessels, thk is also there but only for like 2 sentences so I wont tag them, those are two tags i will make and fill myself whoops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-04
Updated: 2019-08-04
Packaged: 2020-07-31 10:51:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20113915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hasbeenhotel/pseuds/hallowed-vessels
Summary: Grimmchild fluttered in the air next to the tiny vessel, eyes stained orange and disgusting goo breaking through his shell. Grimm’s heart just about stopped at the sight.





	Destiny Bond

“Ah, my friend, I see you’re back.” Grimm noted, hearing the familiar pitter-patter of the little knight’s feet. He opened his wings and dropped from his perch on the ceiling, eager to greet them. “How goes the ri...tual?”

He paused when he turned, slowly finishing his question as he tried to make sends of the sight in front of him.

Ghost looked beaten. Their mask was cracked, their head hung in shame, refusing to meet his eyes. Their shoulders were slumped, one hand clinging to the pathetic remainder of what had been a Pure Nail just hours earlier.

Their other hand moved in shaky motions over their chest, signing one word, over and over again.

_Regret. Sorry. Apology._

Grimmchild wavered in the air beside them, orange eyes vacant. Disgusting, bright orange goo that dripped from the child’s mouth and had broken through their shell. It lined his neck like some sort of collar.

For once, the flames failed to keep away the cold. His own child, taken by then infection. Branded by her. Ghost was still signing clumsy apologies.

For a second, Grimm wanted to scream at the vessel, wanted to burn them until there was nothing but ashes because how DARE they let this happen- but this wasn’t their fault.

“Go.” He said, trying to keep his voice soft and gentle. “Just- just go.” He wouldn’t cry in front of others. The second Ghost had stumbled out of the tent, he let the tears fall freely.

He reached out for his child, only to retract his hand and hold it over his mouth.

He didn’t want anything to do with this- he wanted to wake up and find his beloved child safe and untainted, but he knew the dream realm well enough to know that this wasn’t a nightmare.

He steeled his nerves, wiped away his tears, and reached for his child again. Grimmchild didn’t react to the touch, still vacantly staring at nothing as he pulled the child close.

“I should have never let you out of my sight.” Grimm lamented. “My dear child... are you still somewhere in there?”

Still no reaction. Empty eyes, broken cries.

Grimm held the child tightly against him, even as his shaky legs gave out and he collapsed to the floor. “It’ll be okay,” he muttered numbly, gently stroking Grimmchild’s head. One of the bubbles popped, drenching them both in the orange goo. The infection stung where it made contact, but that was the least of his worries at the moment. “It’ll be okay, my child. We- we’ll be alright.”

Grimmchild let out another “nyah” that sent out another spurt of the infection.

The Nightmare King stirred in his mind. _To let the child live like this would be a torture to you both. You must put him down._

“Don’t speak about him like he’s a pet!” Grimm snarled. “I am not going to kill my child!”

_You must, Grimm._

He curled protectively around the Grimmchild, tears welling up again. “There has to be another way!”

The Nightmare King was silent for a long moment. _It’ll be alright. It will hurt, but you must. I’m right here._

Grimm was sobbing now, fat tears staining the ground. Still, flames flickered to life around the child. “I’m sorry- so sorry- my child... I’m sorry!” Grimmchild was screaming. They both were. Grimm howled for it to stop. He didn’t want to burn away his own child, it was supposed to be the other way around- but the flames wouldn’t stop until he was holding nothing but ashes.

He clung to a handful like it was a lifeline. His child, his precious child, nothing but ashes...

There was a little comfort in the presence of the Nightmare King sharing his pain. _I’m here, Grimm. It’ll be okay._

“N-no, not okay.” He choked out past the tears. His eyes fell on the puddles of the infection on the ground, and sadness started to burn red-hot, turning into rage. “She did this!” He screamed.

She should burn. Burn the same way his child did. He couldn’t just let her get away with this! To think she _dared_ to attack- to infect, -_his child!_

He gathered up the ashes into his cloak, making a mental note to scatter them later. Grimm took a moment to compose himself and got to his feet, leaving the tent to find Ghost.

The little vessel was sitting by Brumm, the cracks in their mask gone. They still seemed exhausted, but a little less tense than they were earlier. When they noticed Grimm, they immediately began to sign “Sorry” again.

Grimm shook his head. “Do not apologize, friend. I’m sure you did everything you could. I will make sure Radiance pays for what she’s done.”

Ghost relaxed, more tension leaving their little frame. The accordion melody stopped. “Mrm... Please come back safely, Master.” There was no way he could promise that, but he smiled and nodded anyways.

The bugs of Dirtmouth flinched away as he walked past, watching in curiosity. They’d never seen him, so their curiosity was only natural, he supposed. Not to mention the scorched earth he left behind him. At least they had the sensibility to keep their distance.

The infected creatures underneath the well lacked the same common sense. No matter. They were burned to ashes as soon as they got close. Why should they get to live, if Grimmchild didn’t?

The temple was empty, minus the fully grown vessel limp on the ground. For a moment, Grimm had half a mind to put the poor thing out of its misery, but then he wouldn’t get to confront Radiance. This vessel seemed familiar, in a way. Perhaps one of his predecessors had known them?

Not that it mattered. His business was not with them anyway. He placed a hand on their mask, and the world faded into the blinding part of the dream realm Radiance considered home.

“**Brother. I see you’re still hiding in those pathetic creations that you’re oh-so fond of.**” The Light Moth noted dismissively.

“If we were hiding, we wouldn’t be here.” Grimm replied. He could sense the Nightmare King’s fury at the slight, and knew Radiance could see it to, but he did his best to remain composed.

The moth rolled her eyes, tilting her head down slightly to look at him. “**Would it kill you to call me “sister,” my dear brother? I know we’ve had a few bumps along the way,**”

“You killed us.”

“**But does that really mean you have to come here to squabble? It was such a long time ago! Let bygones be bygones.**”

The edges of Grimm’s cloak went ridged, sharpening into spikes. “That’s not why we’re here, and you know it!” He was furious, the ground was starting to sizzle beneath him, and worst of all, he was starting to cry again. “You _INFECTED_ our child! He’s DEAD, and it’s all because of you! Why?! How could you?!”

For a second, Radiance actually looked hurt, but the expression vanished so fast he might have just imagined it. The moth crouched down and wrapped her wings around him. Grimm buried his face in the soft fur, ashamed. Why was he allowing her to comfort him? The very one who murdered his child?

His whole body caught fire. One last, self-destructive act of revenge. Radiance screamed and howled and tried to throw him off, desperately apologizing. As if such pathetic, meager apologies could stop this.

If he had to burn, so would she. Anything, if it meant avenging his child.

**Author's Note:**

> First off I am super happy I got this to more than 1k words! Recently it’s been hard to write anythig decently long.  
Also I swear I’ll write a happy fic soonish I’ll try at least


End file.
